A method of creating p-n junctions based on dislocation planes of grain boundaries is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,229. This process is based on the introduction of a comparatively high number of dislocations per unit area by a process of growth of bicrystals. The process has the inherent drawback of difficulties in the separation of undesired side-effects due to pointdefects and impurities which is apt to change the type of conductivity in the grain boundary areas. The known process requires a rather complicated technology and the control of various parameters, such as forms and dimensions of the p-n junctions is quite complicated.
There has also been described a process of forming p-n junctions by indentation pressing, described by the inventor of the present invention in his Russian Pat. No. 348129. According to the process described in this Russian patent it is possible to obtain clusters of a maximum density of about 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.8 cm.sup..sup.-2. The p-n junctions of the known process have the disadvantage of electrical breakdown at comparatively low voltages (about 30 V), and also the area of the p-n junction is comparatively small, which limits the possible working power.
The semiconductor devices of the present invention have substantially improved characteristics, and they are especially advantageous as regards their temperature stability, that they recover after electrical and after thermal breakdowns, and that they are stable under the influence of radioactive radiation. The novel junctions are stable under comparatively high voltages; the technology of formation is a comparatively simple one and it is one of the outstanding advantages of the invention that no additional materials are necessary (for diffusion or the like). The novel method of attachment of the required conductors is also a feature of the present invention.